jennesa elise lincke

Jennesa Elise Lincke, currently based in NYC, is a Jamaican-American mover and maker from Zion, Illinois. Before transferring to Temple University to complete her BFA in Dance and Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management Certificate, she was an active member of the UArts School of Dance where she studied under the direction of Donna Faye Burchfield. She also pursued a minor in Business and served as the Creative Director of the UArts Ballet Ensemble for the 2023-2024 season. Additionally, Jennesa Elise Lincke has had the honor of collaborating with and performing in works by Katie Swords-Thurman, Tommie Waheed-Evans, Sidra Bell, Jesse Zaritt, Shayla-Vie Jenkins, and Uwazi Zamani—among others. Jennesa is the recipient of several awards including the 2021 UArts Distinguished Artist Scholarship, the 2024 David Yager Excellence in Dance Scholarship, and the 2024 Rose Vernick Choreographic Scholarship. Her creative practices and research currently delve into the intersection between the physical and spiritual, with a focus on the influence virtuosity and gesture have on both the moving and observing presence. She draws on celestial imagery, connection to God, lived experiences, collective power, and elemental forces to activate the body and amplify the soul. 

photos by Michael Pilla